The kitchen faucet is the highest-use plumbing fixture in most households — opened and closed dozens of times per day, exposed to grease and food debris at the base. STL Plumbing Pros repairs kitchen faucets across all configurations — single-handle, two-handle, pull-down, pull-out, and commercial-style — with parts stocked for the major brands. Most repairs are same-day.
Common Kitchen Faucet Problems
Dripping spout (cartridge wear)
Single-handle kitchen faucets use a cartridge — O-rings and sealing surfaces wear with use. At 40–80 actuations per day, cartridge wear occurs faster than in bathroom applications.
Pull-down sprayer won't retract or stays down
The pull-down hose retraction is controlled by a counterweight. A hose that won't retract has either lost its counterweight or the hose has developed a kink. Both are repairable without replacing the full faucet.
Pull-down diverter failure
The diverter valve routes water between stream and spray mode. A failed diverter sends water to both modes simultaneously. Diverter cartridge replacement is model-specific — Delta, Moen, and Kohler diverters are not interchangeable.
Base leak (O-ring failure)
The kitchen faucet body is sealed to the sink deck with O-rings. Grease, soap, and water at the base degrade these O-rings faster than in a bathroom application.
Low pressure at kitchen faucet
Aerator mineral blockage is the first cause to check. Scale inside the cartridge body is the second cause. If pressure is low at the kitchen faucet but normal elsewhere, the aerator and cartridge are the diagnosis.
Side sprayer failure
Older kitchens with a separate side sprayer have a diverter inside the faucet body. Diverter failure causes low pressure at the main spout or no flow at the sprayer.
Warning Signs Your Kitchen Faucet Needs Repair
Dripping from the spout with handle fully off
Water collecting under the sink without obvious supply line source — base O-ring failure
Pull-down hose doesn't retract when released
Spray mode and stream mode activate simultaneously
Low pressure at the kitchen faucet specifically
Handle is stiff or squeaky during operation
Sprayer handle requires excessive pressure to activate
How We Diagnose and Repair Kitchen Faucets
Identify Configuration and Failure Mode
We check spout drip with handle off, base leak with a dry paper towel test, pull-down hose retraction, diverter function, aerator flow, and supply line connections. The diagnosis determines the part needed before we quote.
Component Repair or Replacement
Cartridge replacement, pull-down counterweight reattachment, diverter cartridge install, aerator cleaning or replacement, or O-ring base repair — accessed from inside the cabinet without removing the faucet when possible.
Full Function Test
Restore supply, test all modes: stream flow, spray mode, full shutoff with no drip, pull-down retraction force, and dry inspection under the sink for any secondary leaks.
What Does Kitchen Faucet Repair Cost?
| Service | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cartridge replacement (single-handle) | $125–$225 | Most common kitchen faucet repair. |
| Pull-down counterweight reattachment | $85–$150 | Straightforward fix for hose retraction failure. |
| Diverter cartridge replacement | $125–$200 | Pull-down diverter — model-specific part required. |
| Side sprayer diverter repair | $100–$175 | Internal faucet body diverter replacement. |
| Aerator cleaning or replacement | $75–$125 | Often added to a cartridge visit at no additional trip charge. |
| Base O-ring seal repair | $125–$200 | May require faucet removal to access deck O-rings. |
Repair vs. Replace for Kitchen Faucets
Kitchen faucets are worth repairing when the faucet body is structurally sound and replacement cartridges are available. Replacement makes more sense when:
The pull-down hose has developed a crack or pinhole — hose replacement on many models requires special-order parts at a cost approaching a new faucet.
The finish is worn through in high-contact areas — finish wear is cosmetic and not repairable.
The faucet is 15+ years old with multiple component failures.
The homeowner wants to upgrade style or add functionality alongside the repair visit.
Why Choose STL Plumbing Pros?
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Pull-Down Faucet Specialists
Pull-down and pull-out kitchen faucets have specific failure modes — counterweight, diverter, hose — that require knowing what to look for. We diagnose and repair these regularly.
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Aerator Cleaning on Every Visit
St. Louis water scale accumulates in kitchen aerators faster than anywhere else in the house. We clean or replace the aerator on every kitchen faucet service.
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Brand-Specific Cartridges Stocked
Moen, Delta, Kohler, and American Standard cartridges on the truck. We don't make a parts run for the most common kitchen faucet repair — it's done in one visit.
What Our Customers Say
"Pull-down faucet that wouldn't retract anymore — had to push it back up every time. Plumber fixed the counterweight in 20 minutes without even removing the faucet. Couldn't believe how fast it was."
"Dripping kitchen faucet and low pressure. Plumber replaced the cartridge and cleaned the aerator. Both problems solved in one visit. The pressure improvement was immediate."
"Spray mode and stream were running at the same time — turned out to be the diverter. Plumber had the right part on the truck. Fixed and tested in 45 minutes."